Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a sort of virus that assaults your physique’s immune system, leaving you extra in danger for infections. It could be unfold by coming into contact with another person’s contaminated blood or physique fluids.
Some individuals might marvel if girls can get HIV. And the reply is sure. One in 4 individuals dwelling with HIV in the united statesis a lady.
HIV can conceal within the physique for years and doesn’t have a tendency to indicate any signs at first. The truth is, 1 in 9 girls with HIV don’t know they’ve the virus. The one option to know you probably have HIV is to get examined.
Thankfully, the variety of girls dwelling with HIV has been taking place in recent times. However HIV testing charges are low, even amongst girls who’re at larger threat for getting HIV, particularly those that have anal intercourse. The pandemic brought on many individuals to skip HIV testing, in accordance with one 2021 examine.
To be able to convey testing charges as much as obtain the 2025 objective of greater than 95% of individuals within the U.S. who know their HIV standing, the variety of each women and men getting examined wants to extend 3 times the present price. This testing objective comes from the Ending the HIV Epidemic within the U.S. initiative, launched by the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers.
The excellent news is, people who find themselves HIV-positive can reside a very long time if the situation is effectively managed. Testing for HIV is step one in taking management of your well being.
Right here’s what all girls have to find out about HIV testing and the completely different choices which might be accessible.
Who must be getting examined for HIV?
Everybody must be examined at the very least as soon as for HIV between the ages of 13 and 64, and proceed to get examined previous age 64 in the event that they’re sexually energetic. However sure components can put you at excessive threat for the virus, which implies it’s best to get examined extra usually. You probably have a sexually transmitted an infection (STI), for instance, you’re extra prone to get HIV in comparison with individuals with out an STI. And you probably have a sexual associate who has HIV, particularly with late-stage HIV an infection or excessive viral load, it will increase the chances you’ll get HIV as effectively.
Learn: Older Ladies Get HIV, Too >>
Anybody who’s sexually energetic or shares needles must be examined for HIV. It’s because the virus can enter your physique via contaminated fluids resembling blood, semen and vaginal fluids. Throughout vaginal or anal intercourse, girls have a larger probability of getting HIV than their male associate since receptive intercourse (the individual receiving the penis) is larger threat than insertive intercourse (the individual inserting a penis). You probably have a number of intercourse companions or if you happen to aren’t certain of your associate’s sexual historical past, it’s a good suggestion to get examined.
In the event you’re planning a being pregnant, you ought to be examined for HIV previous to changing into pregnant. It’s because HIV an infection might be handed on to your unborn child via the placenta throughout being pregnant or labor and supply. Breastfeeding also can go the virus on to the infant.
Older girls and girls in menopause are additionally in danger as a result of thinning vaginal tissue and a scarcity of lubrication could cause cuts within the vagina throughout intercourse. This may elevate the chance of publicity to the virus, so if you happen to’re sexually energetic, it’s best to nonetheless get examined no matter your age.
How do you get examined for HIV?
In the event you’re on the lookout for locations to get an HIV check, you would possibly begin along with your clinic or healthcare supplier’s workplace. A lot of them supply free or low-cost HIV testing. You may as well enter your ZIP code, metropolis or state into the HIV.gov clinic finder to seek out your nearest testing heart.
You could possibly get free testing underneath the Reasonably priced Care Act you probably have medical health insurance. Most insurance coverage supply HIV screening and counseling freed from value.
Testing is all the time confidential, that means your outcomes gained’t be proven to anybody aside from you. The outcomes are reported to authorities companies to assist public well being officers estimate HIV in your state, however your private data will not be shared. You may as well get examined anonymously, the place you go by a quantity somewhat than your title.
What are the several types of HIV assessments?
Antibody-only assessments search for HIV antibodies, that are produced by your immune system once you’re uncovered to viruses, 23 to 90 days after publicity. These assessments could be finished both with a blood draw within the clinic or lab, or as a fast check utilizing a finger stick or saliva swab. Blood draw outcomes can take a number of days to return again to you, however they’ll detect antibodies sooner after publicity, in comparison with taking a fast check. Speedy HIV assessments can provide ends in 20 to half-hour.
Antigen/antibody assessments search for each HIV antibodies and an HIV antigen often called p24, which is made in your physique once you’re first uncovered to HIV and earlier than HIV antibodies seem. You may have the check finished on the clinic or lab 18 to 45 days after publicity or as a fast check 18 to 90 days after publicity. Whereas fast assessments utilizing a finger stick provide you with ends in about half-hour, they’ll take longer to detect the HIV an infection than if you happen to had a blood draw from a vein.
Nucleic acid assessments (NATs) can truly detect how a lot, if any, HIV virus is in your physique (often called the viral load) and are finished by a blood draw within the lab. NATs can detect the virus simply 10 to 33 days after publicity. Nevertheless, they’re costlier and aren’t often used for screening except you’ve had a high-risk publicity or a attainable publicity and are having signs.
How quickly after an HIV publicity are you able to get examined for HIV?
You shouldn’t take an HIV check instantly after publicity as a result of it takes time to your physique to construct up the antibodies that the check seems to be for. This timeframe from once you have been uncovered to the virus to when the virus is ready to be discovered is called the window interval. Every HIV check has a special window interval and can provide a unfavourable end result if you happen to check throughout that window interval even you probably have an HIV an infection. In the event you get a unfavourable end result, check once more after the window interval to substantiate the unfavourable end result.
Understanding HIV check outcomes
You probably have a unfavourable HIV check, it means the virus wasn’t detected in your physique. Your HIV check solely reveals your standing, not your associate’s standing. So you may’t assume your associate is unfavourable simply since you are. Your associate ought to get their very own HIV check.
HIV-positive means there may be the presence of HIV in your physique. It doesn’t imply you’ve got AIDS. Whereas HIV assessments are often correct, you may get a false optimistic, that means your check outcomes present you’re optimistic once you’re not.
In the event you get a optimistic end result, it’s essential to see your HCP as quickly as attainable so therapy can start. Not solely do drugs assist hold your physique wholesome, however they’ll enormously decrease your possibilities of passing HIV on to others.
In the event you suppose you’ve been uncovered to HIV, speak along with your HCP as quickly as attainable. They will help you determine when and what testing is required.
Sources
This academic useful resource was created in partnership with NCBA and with assist from Merck.
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